The boy I met on a highway.

Part 4. Crazy.

I woke up early, 6:13 AM. I looked at the clock and groaned as I rolled over and stared at the ceiling. What the hell was wrong with me? I was attracted to this boy I picked up on the side of a highway, and on top of this, I dreamed about him too? There must be something wrong with me. I mean... his eyes are kind of pretty, and his hair is kinda nice... "UGH STOP" I said out loud. I needed coffee, now. This boy I dreamed about was not the same as the boy I knew in real life, he couldn't be. And thinking about it was only going to feed into my delusions. I needed to occupy myself. I went downstairs into the buffet and got myself a bow of Cap'n Crunch. I ate slowly as I stared at the old, rickety, stained table before me. Someone yawned and I looked up to see it was Jake stretching, he looked at me and at the same time I looked back down in embarrassment. What is wrong with me? Stop acting weird. You're going to make him think you like him! That's not going to be good! I swallowed one last bite of my cereal and threw the container in the trash. I then went out to my car to grab some clean clothes.

"Hey." someone said from behind me. I jumped and turned around. It was Jake. "Oh..." I put my hand on my heart and bent over slightly as I panted. "You scared me."
"Oh, I'm sorry," he laughed. "I didn't realize I was so intimidating." he said as he smiled.
"Yeah yeah. Keep tellin' yourself that." I said. I started walking back to the hotel.
"Why so grumpy?" he asked.
"It's just how I am in the morning." I said while scowling.
"It's not me, is it? Am I annoying you?" Ugh. Even the sound of his voice was attractive.
"No, I just need more coffee." I rolled my eyes.

This was ridiculous. I needed to confide in my bestie about this. I decided we better get going on the road.
"Go eat some breakfast, we're going to keep driving."
"It's all right, I'm not hungry." he shrugged.
"Ok... well then you can wait by the car."

I went up to my room and got dressed. I had picked out an orange-y-pink tank-top and some jean shorts. I figured it would be hot going into South Carolina so I knew I needed to dress in Summer clothes. I texted Abigail.

7:03am You: Hey
7:03am Abigail: Omg hi
7:03am You: wyd
7:04am Abigail: nothing, wby?
7:04am You: driving to you in a Lamborghini with a boy I picked up on the side of a highway
7:05am Abigail: YOU WHAT!!??

Abigail is typing...

7:06am Abigail: OK FIRST WHAT DO YOU MEAN UR ON UR WAY HERE?? U NEVER TOLD ME U WERE GOING TO DRIVE TO F**KING SOUTH CAROLINA BY YOURSELF?? AND ANOTHER THING, WHY DID YOU PICK UP A BOY OFF THE HIGHWAY!!!?? DO YOU KNOW HOW DANGEROUS THAT IS?? THINK OF TED BUNDY!! THINK OF TED BUNDY JESSICA!!

7:07am You: Abby I really don't think he's going to hurt me, he's weird... but harmless... he can't be much older than me anyways
7:07am Abigail: girl- I'm bouta drive up there to u and whoop your a**
7:08am you: You won't have to, because I'm driving down to you, remember?
7:08am Abigail: and about that, what am I supposed to do when u get here!!?
7:09am You: well, we can go to the beach, have sleepovers, etc.
7:09am You: Abigail I ran away from home. I'm not going back.
7:10am Abigail: oh... well. I'm always here with open arms. I'll make a place to sleep for ya'... and get a bunch of snacks... and movies... yk what, I'll just see u there.
7:10am You: Lol ok. Bye, I love u
7:10am Abigail: Ily too. Oh and u better send me ur location every hour so ik ur safe.
7:11am You: alr. Bye, ttyl.
7:11am Abigail: ttyl

I set my phone in my bag and made my way to the front desk. The woman from last night wasn't sitting there, and instead there was a tall, lean man with a nicely fitted suit and a big smile on his face.
"Hello there, how may I help ya?" he said in a southern accent.
"I'm paying for room 102 and room 103?"
"Ah yes..." he nodded and smiled. "So I see you met Gladys last night, yes?"
"Uh yeah I think I might have."
"Oh, well excuse her if she was a bit grouchy. Gladys does that sometimes." I laughed.
"Yeah I think I've figured that out." "Oh-" I handed him the money for the rooms "-here's that payment." I said.
"Thank you very much young lady. You have a great day."
"You too." I said back.

I walked up to my car and saw Jake siting against the hood with his hands in his pocket.
"Took you long enough." he said.
"Yes, well I needed to pay for our rooms." he nodded his head.
I walked around the car and opened my door.
"So how old are you?" he said as he, too, got in the car.
"I'm not sure if I want to answer that." I said.
"Why?"
"Because... you could be 2022's next Ted Bundy." I chuckled inside about what Abigail said.
"Oh come on, you don't honestly think I'm going to hurt you, do you?" He looked at me and leaned in a little closer. The look he gave me was frightening, it was mesmerizing, he looked so perfect. I probably looked like a deer in headlights.
"Yeah, well that's what every serial killer says." I said as I put my bag in my car. He sighed.
"Ok fine. I'll go first then. I'm 17. And if you don't want to answer right away, that's fine." He leaned back and looked out the window.

I just kept quiet. I was thinking about my answer, deciding if I could trust him, if I could tell him as much as he wanted me to, as much as I wanted to. The truth is, I wanted to tell him everything. Because I wanted to know more about him. It made me feel better that he was 17, not much of an age difference. I just needed to figure out how long he's been 17.

"When's your birthday?" I asked.
"May 10th" he replied. He didn't pause, and he didn't answer too quickly... it looks like he's telling the truth...
"Why?" he asked.
"Just curious."
"When's your birthday? Maybe I could guess how old you are." I thought for a moment.
"May 27th." I replied.
"Ah, so our birthdays are pretty close."
"I guess so." I said. I tried to focus on the road.
"Well you can drive, you're confident enough to run away from home... 18?" I laughed.
"No."
"17?"
"Nope."
"16?" I paused for a second. What was I supposed to say to that? He guessed it right. Was I supposed to lie?
"Ahah, you paused, that means you must be 16." He grinned at my defeat.
"Yes, I'm 16." I rolled my eyes.
"Ok. I'll let you drive now." he said smiling.

Thank god, some peace and quiet.